Thirteenth biggest island of the Galapagos, Tower covers 5.4 square miles. It is relatively flat reaching only 250
feet (Compare with Rabida, 1.9 square miles and 1,203 feet.) The volcanic origin are evident from its outline.
What today is Darwin Bay was at one time the caldera of a volcano. After the volcano became extinct, wave erosion
wore away at the walls and eventually broke through forming the bay. It is also called Genovesa, after the place
where Colombus was born Genoa, Italy. However, the English name is more widely used. The origin of this name
is not certain, but the circular cliffs surrounding the main bay are reminiscent of an ancient fortress. It is the
most remote of the islands with land Visitor Sites and most visitors do not make it here. However, those that make
the long sea trip, an overnight voyage, are richly rewarded. Huge colonies of various seabirds, provide a
spectacle unparalleled elsewhere in the islands or perhaps the world. The birds make such an impression that one
cannot fail to be astonished. Especially numerous are the red-footed boobies which make up the world's biggest
colony of this species. Brian Nelson, a British researcher who studied the boobies on Tower was so impressed that
he titled his book Island of Birds. Other birds here include masked booby, frigatebirds, Galapagos dove and
Galapagos owl. Two species of storm petrels have a vast colony on the eastern side of the island, totalling over
200,000 pairs. In recent years pairs of waved albatross, that normally breeds only on Hood Island, have been
observed courting near the petrel colony, although they have not yet established successfully.
|
|